Considering how many 30+ ft powerboats are sitting around unsold and how hot the newer 27-29 market is I think smaller would be better place to start.
Market seems to be biased toward the bigger/expensive or smaller/thriftier side ..

Sonic: We do not have the 28 molds sorry! I believe they went to a guy in Miami at the auction.

JMS: The 38 with the outboards Danny built was mine. We kept the boat for over 6 years and I agree with you that the hull has NEVER done anything I did not expect! I do not want to take a chance on stepping the 33. It just runs way to nice so our thought process was why not dam the 38 move the steps forward and put a euro transom on it! The extra 6 to 8 inches of beam would be also in my opinion a welcome advantage. Again just some of the ideas we are kicking around. All of our plans include a sport deck and CC version and I/O and O/B set ups!

Powerplay Tom, you should look at it this way. I currently own a 33 with some nice power in it and I completly updated the boat less the paint. I plan on upgrading to a 38 or 42. The 38 pp is a great boat , but the bottom needs to be updated to be current with the speeds top manufactures are getting with small power (700's), 105 min speed . The cockpit needs to be updated also. You have a great platform to start with , go big and make an impression , spend the money now investing into 38 and you will recoup it in no time. Also it would be nice to make it a 39 with a stagered set up, can't leave 4-5mph on the table. Good luck

Ever seen a 38PP docked next to another 37/38/39 foot boat? Of course not, because you cant see the other boat over the top of the PP. It's a beheemoth; what I would almost call a "38 Black Thunder" even. It will not compete with the speeds of the other boats with said power; in a flat out drag race to the first stop on a poker run. Many of them are 1/2 cabins with no options, and made like a potato chip in comparison. The PP will show it's prowess in rough water running faster than those other guys; or at least doing so MUCH more comfortably.

I can vouch for that. When a 38 TG/TS is in a slip next to me, they look small. As far as ride and speeds........I wait for the roughest times to go out...... I may not be the fastest guy out there against a boat with comparable power......but there aren't many boats that I won't run on the roughest of days. Last year on the way home from the Shootout (some of the roughest water we see) I had a TG/TS running next to me. He was doing everything he could to stay even and looking very out of shape (running on the ragged edge)........and We were just out for a cruise.

Pretty sure the 28's are dammed 33's.

I would say there's a market for "affordable" 28's, a 28 single would certainly get it done. Not the fastest, but a great, balanced ride. I've never needed my tabs.

What would everyone call an affordable 28 foot boat with a 525EFI/XRfor power--what $$$ for new?

Affordable? 100k.
Realistic? 130k.